Review: These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan

These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan
Series: These Hollow Vows #2
Published by HarperTEEN on 2022-07-19
Age Range: 14+
Length: 498 pages
Reviewing Paperback from My Book Shelf
Reading Challenges: 2024 Backlist Reader Challenge, 2024 COYER Unwind

#1 New York Times bestseller! In this thrilling conclusion to These Hollow Vows—the sexy, action-packed fantasy that started it all—Brie finds herself caught between two princes and two destinies while the future of the fae realm hangs in the balance.

After Abriella's sister was sold to the fae, she thought life couldn't get any worse. But when she suddenly finds herself caught in a web of lies of her own making--loving two princes and trusting neither--things are not quite as clear as she once thought.

As civil war wages in the Unseelie Court, Brie finds herself unable to choose a side. How can she know where she stands when she doesn't even know herself anymore? In this darkly romantic thrill ride, the more Faerie is torn apart from the inside, the clearer it becomes that prophecies don't lie and Brie has a role to play in the fate of this magical realm--whether she likes it or not.

These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan is the conclusion to the story that began in These Hollow Vows and picks up right where the first book left off. Tricked into bonding with Sebastian, Brie is now fae. With her mortal death, the Unseelie crown passed to Bash who is also Oberon’s son. Fleeing the Golden Court, Brie finds herself caught between the two courts. She must decide who she can trust before the Unseelie court falls.

Brie is understandably angry and a lot hurt by the events that happened at the end of book one. This story opens on her rage and follows her as she runs. She finds herself at one of the queen’s prison camps that houses Unseelie children. One thing leads to another and Brie aligns herself with the Unseelie rebellion and finds refuge in the Wild Fae court. I love Brie. Through all that she endures, she is still the same girl we met in book one. She’s powerful and desperate to save those that cannot save themselves. She wants the children home safe with their parents unlike Brie and her sister who were never safe.

I loved the introduction of Misha and the Wild Fae court. They were slightly introduced in book one, but we see a lot more of them here. Misha is king and easy to like. He puts Brie at ease and helps her find her way in a world she never imagined she’d be a part of.

The plot is two-fold. First, it focuses on the Unseelie returning home and how to save their court. The second part focuses on the romance. Bash broke Brie’s heart and her trust. Finn broke her trust unintentionally, yet he’s always there to build her up and help her when he can. I liked that the author didn’t drag out a triangle here. You learn fairly quickly who Brie chooses, and we are allowed the chance to see their friendship/love blossom.

Ryan continues to build on the world she introduced in book one. We learn more about the Unseelie, the prophecy, and Oberon. I love all the foreshadowing. While the twists kept coming, if you pay close enough attention, they don’t take you completely by surprise. I loved that.

Overall, I really enjoyed These Twisted Bonds. It’s so well-written. I found myself thinking about it in between readings and long after I finished it. Fantastic conclusion to Brie’s story! If you are a fan of fantasy romance, I highly recommend it.

Content Note: The publisher lists this book for 14 and up. I feel this is really going to be dependent on the maturity level of the teen. There is a lot of on page violence as well as several pages of sexual content (heavy petting to oral sex and penetration) described in detail. Personally, I would recommend this for 17 and up.

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